Spinning bath tank



Oct. 5, 1948.

R. H. DE LACQTTE ET AL 2,450,750

SPINNING BATH TANK 2 Shee cs-sheet 1 Filed June 2, 1947 IN V EN TORS Ross/e rHsMeaE LA corn A/v'o EUGENE COL OMBU A T TOR V5 Y 1948. R. H. DE LAcdTT ET AL 2,450,750

' SPINNING BATH TANK Filed June 2, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TORS BERT HEME 05 L A Co Tn: 1V0 (/GEN COLOMBU ATTQRNEY i 'atented Oct. 1948 2,450,750, SPINNING BATH TANK Robert Heme de Laco Paris, France, assign tiles Artificiels, a cor tte and Eugene Colombu, ors to Co'mptoir Des. Texporation of France Application 1...... 2, 1947, Serial No. 751,950

In France May22, 1945 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 194

Patent expires May 22, 1965 6 Claims. (01. 18-8) This invention relates to spinning bath tanks used in the production of artificia1 filaments and yarns.- More particularly, it relates to a spinning bathtankparticularly suitable for use in the production of yarns to be converted into staple fiber. In the most frequently employed process of producing staple fiber, a viscose spinning solution was spun through spinnerettes provided with a very large number of orifices into a spinning bath,-

and the freshly spun filaments were caused to travel through such bath until completely coagulated and regenerated. The filaments, preferably prior to withdrawal from the spinning bath, were condensed without twisting to' form a bundle which, upon withdrawal from the .bath, were subjected to appropriate treatments and thereafter transversely cut into staple. Alternatively, the bundle of filaments, upon withdrawal from the spinning bath, was collected on an appropriate collection device and thereafter cut into staple which was subjected to the appropriate liquid treatments.

During coagulation, the action of the spinning bath must be as uniform as possible since the filaments at that time are exceedingly delicate. Eddies in the bath tending to separate the filaments and produce tension effects are apt to diminish the quality and even break the filaments.

Most frequently, the spinning bath tank was provided with a plurality of spinnerettes arranged ina straight line or along a curved arc, and the filaments formed by each of these spinnerettes were condensed together by passage through a condensing 0r converging device. Generally, the spinning bath was introduced in the neighborhood of the spinnerettes and was circulatedso that it traveled in the same direction as the filaments.

.According to one procedure for the circulation of the spinning bath, the bath was discharged from the tank in the vicinity of the condensing device, and the discharged bath was regenerated in any appropriate manner and then reused. According to another procedure, a large excess of the spinning bath was utilized and an appreciable fraction of the bath discharged from the tank was remixed with fresh spinning bath solution. This second procedure offered the advantage of insuring a more constant composition of the bath and-a more uniform coagulation of the viscose due to the fact that the viscose yarns were immersed in a flowing bath of substantially constant composition and which was continuously renewed. However, such procedure tended to produce eddies which were detrimental to the yarn.

: In the case of spinning cuprammonium cellulose solutions, or even viscose, by the process wherein funnels of the Thiele type were utilized, an eddyless circulation of the bath in the funnels was obtained but the problem in such processes was less complicated inasmuch as the ratesof'fiow involved were considerably lower in smallsize apparatus adapted for the production of-finee filament yarns.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improvedspinning bath tank.

Another object of this invention is to provide a spinning bath tank in which a portion of the spinning bath is mixed with fresh spinning bath withoutthe production of eddies.

An additional object of this invention is to provide aspinning bath tank wherein a portion of the spinning bath and fresh spinning bath are caused to travel through the tank and the production of eddies inhibited by devices canalizing the fiow in parallel streams.

Other and additional objects will become ap-- parent hereinafter.

The details of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following description when taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings illustrating a spinning bath tank constructed in accordance with the invention, and wherein:

Figure 1 is' a longitudinal section of the tank;

Figure 2 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of the tank shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a plan view of the tank.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts, the spinning bath tank is formed with side walls I, a bottom 2, a front wall 3, and a back wall 4. As shown in Figure 3, the walls I diverge outwardly in the 7 direction away from the'front wall 3, whereby the tank is generally in the form of a trapezoid, the smaller end of which constitutes the front of the tank.

The tank is sub-divided into four compartments, generally designated by the reference numerals 5, 6, I 0 and I2 respectively. The compartment 5, which is'adjacent the lower rear end of the'tank and extends over the entire width of the tank, constitutes the inlet to the tank for fresh spinning bath solution. spinnerettes in the top compartment 6, which is separated. from the lower compartment 5 by means of a horizontal partition 9. Compartment 6 communicates at its lower end with compartment 5 through an opening 8 extending over the entire width of the tank in the partition 9. A horizontal 1 are disposed 3 partition M on the same level as the partition 9 divides the tank into the compartments in and [2. The upper forward compartment I is separated from the. compartments. and.v 6.10;; means of a.

solution and communicates through an. opening l3 in the partition 14 with compa ttment, l .0i. Come p'artment I2 is separated from the compartment, 5 by a. vertical partition 16 which is spaced from the partition ll so as to provide an opening 15.

By this arrangement, the two openings 8 andi5 are disposed adjacent each other...

The fresh spinning bath liquid is fed, from a, suitable source of supply (not shown) through a pipe IT at the rear lower part of the tank. The pipe 11 is connected with a vertical chamber 18 throug'ln a chamber t9; which. is: provided with. an inclined bottom 28;. The top. .ofithe-chambert8; constitutes; an overflow: for. thebath: liquid supplied: thereto and; iizdischarges: intola chamber his which, at; its. lower" end, discharges. into the compartment 5;. Aninclined wall: 22-: serves toiguidei the liquid from the-uchamlzen 2d: into the come partment; 5;. A; baffle. 2? off awid'thz equal: tos-the; chamber I9 is provided therein aboizeathemonth ofi'the; inlet. I11, whereby, when freslt bath; liquor is introduced through the pipe. 1311,. itwill: bessulo'e divided: into; twov dire ctions; and: directed onto. the inclined bottom of the chamber I=19..

ita perforated plate 214: secured to.- the bottom of the cham'ber I28 subdivides=-thefiowing liquid into; a, pluralityor; streams and: servesv to. distribute the liquid. uniformly; over the; enin're. length ofth chamloer 118;.

Operungsv 25-.- are. provided: in. the upper part on the rear walk of the chamber t8; to permit the: escape of air and also excess. liquid; Any ex'- cess liquid: discharged through the openings 25 is received in a channel 26 having inclined. bottom: 21: whinlrleads. to a discharge 28.. The inclined: bottom 21: also. serves: for removing waterutilined for cleaning; the spinnerettes 1 when the; machine is; not in operatiom. The rear wall. or thechamiel 2% is provided witha bracket: which serves as a support for the spinnerette holdersjfli.

The vertical. Walt H; separatingthe compart- .ments: 6 and H) is provided on its upper-edge with an oblique; combin order to] insure a. clear sen aration of thebnndles of filaments extruded trom each oii theispinnerettes without obligin-g theirs to changeztheirpath. Allathe. bundles tizamellthron h the; compartment 10- in straight lines: convergin toward a triangular notch! 3:2. on; the. upper. part: or the front, wall 31 on the tank. and which consti tutes av discharge: opening: for the.- bund-les. The. notch; 32; also constitutes-a condensing onc onveng'.-- ingguideforthebundles;

The bath liquor passing through the note-lo 31' is: seceived'firnt-a chamber secured: to; the; front \VBJHL 'Ehe chamber 33 is proyidedwith out.- let 34: whereby thee liquid is: discharged. Means. not shown are utilized to, feed such; discharge:

" liquid. t-oan appropriate reservoir;

Bafiles. or: converging. Vertical; partitions; 35% are disposed in: the lower compartment: t2; and: par- 93.161; vertical partitions 3 ii and provided refines; tire-1y in. the compartment 5 and the chambers: 2.1: and k8,v separate the flowing; bath into; a. her of streams; thereby reducing-the. turbulenceoitherflow;

It will. be noted that. the construction. provides; is:

4 a flow of the bath liquor in parallel streams in the tank, which is as calm as possible and in accordance with the path indicated by the arrows in, Figure 1.. It will also; be observed that two streams; are produced, one of the fneshzbath liquor supplied from the compartment 5, and the other formed by a large excess supplied from the return compartment l2 through the opening I5. These two. streams create above the partition ll twoadjpining. streams. directed toward the line of spinnerettes- Under an action of a veritable aspirationproduced by the motion of the filaments issuing from the spinnerettes the two streams will be caused to-suddenly change their direction of flow; whereupon the .two streams will be mixed.

Thafilaments; will be thus enveloped by the horizontalmoving bath, insuring coagulation and regeneration of the yarn.

The return flow of the bath in the compartment 12 should be sufliciently slow so as to permit; ascension: of small gas bubbles; created through. the; action: of the bath. upon the yarns.- in such a. waythat the. bath. escaping from. compartment through the. openingi5; toward! the. spinnerettes I; does; notcontain. any; bubbles; since the latter-are apt to. have a detrimental-- efi'ecton the delicate; fibers due to the; fact. that they would: penetrate into. the yarns: by: a suction efiect and; create a large bubble inside. the yarnslwithldelea terious. results, such as destroying-the-equilibrium.

in. the filament. formation, obstructing numerous; orifices; in thecenter oi the spinnerettesas well. as; clogging the orifices. Whenever small bub-1 bl'es are formed they havetime enough to. ascend. tolthe partition Wand there form a gaseouslay-l. er over theliquid and be eliminated in the form: of large bubblesthrough the opening l5; where-.- upon: they will risetoward thebath surface in thecompartment 61 at a place-where suchbubbl'es- I areiharmlessto the-spinnerettes.

The condensed. bundle of filaments after pass,--

ing through the notch 32 is passed throughbaths for appropriatetreatment; and thencut into stapie; Alternatively; the bundles are directed upon" leaving-the notch 32 to a suitable co1lection device, after which the filaments: are cut into the desired size: and thereafter subjected to the-- d'esi-red=liquid treatments.

Any: of the known means for imparting the desired: bath travel to the. filaments in the spin v ning bath tank can be used". Likewise, any desired: guides f0rmaintaining the filaments submerged-in the: spinning bath can alsobe used.

A plurality: of spinnerettes can be used-' and the filaments: produced by eachof the spinnerettes can be condensed to form a large bundle of untwi'sted yarns; ashereinbefore described:

The tank can alsobe provided with: appro pri'ate: drainswherebysuch tank can be completely: emptied Since.- it. is. obvious: that various changes and modifications can be madeinthe above description- Without departing fromthe nature or spirittherecf; this invention is not restricted thereto except as set forth in the appended claims;

l.-.. A spinning bath tank comprising a hori'-' zontall partitiondividing the rear portion. oi sa-i'd tan-k into an upper rearcompartment and a lower rear compartment communicating at their forward; ends, spinnerettes disposed: in said upper reap compartment, means: tosupply fresh spinningloath to said lower rear compartment a second: horizontal partition. disposed at. approxi-t mately the. same level as the first-named! hom zontal partition dividing said tank into an upper forward compartment and a lower forward compartment, said second horizontal partition having an opening at its forward end whereby said upper and lower forward compartments communicate with each other, a vertical partition cooperating with said second horizontal partition and spaced forwardly of said upper rear compartment said vertical partition terminating at its top below the path of travel of the filaments extruded from said spinnerettes, and a second vertical partition separating the two lower compartments, said second vertical partition being spaced from said second horizontal partition to provide an outlet therebetween.

2. A spinning bath tank as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second vertical partition is between the lower compartments and in spaced relationship with respect to the horizontal partitions.

3. A spinning bath tank as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first vertical partition carries a comb for directing the filaments.

4. A spinning bath tank as set forth in claim 1 wherein the side walls converge toward the front thereof.

5. A spinning bath tank as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for supplying the fresh bath comprises a pipe connected to the inclined bottom of a chamber, a baflie adjacent the mouth of said pipe to divide the fresh bath fed by said EUGENE COLOMBU.

No references cited. 

